Of Grimm Tidings
by OtterOuji
Summary: Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Jaune, Nora and Ren find themselves aimlessly wandering around in a mysterious mansion when they try to escape a dangerously foggy night. But within the empty halls there are unwanted meetings for all of them.


Author Notes: Okay so this was originally supposed to be for Lancaster week (Spooky/ Horror). BUT It got away from me and exploded into a much larger story than I expected. Not only that it had a somewhat well-rounded focus so I couldn't feel confident just labeling it Lancaster. I am in no way a fan of the horror genre, but I hope this is spooky enough to fit. Let me know if any of you lovely readers were scared for any of our hero's' lives~

For those of you who stick with the story to the end. There is fluffy lancaster content at the end.

Of Grimm Tidings

RWBY along with JN_R had been wandering around this strange mansion for what felt like hours. The sun had long since set and the moon had risen somewhere beyond the clouds. No matter where they went, it felt as if the halls just went on forever. The lights extruded a dim luminescence. Bright enough to see, but not enough for anyone to feel comfortable. It gave the cerulean walls an eerie glow. White trim and equally white doors were the only objects to break up the monotony of the color as they continued wandering aimlessly. Corridor after corridor, everything just looked the same. Like a labyrinth with no end. Only the occasional wall adorned with windows that peered out into the foggy void gave any variation to the scenery. But; if this place was like a labyrinth, then it should have been expected to contain a monster or two.

"What the hell was that?!" Yang cried out. A look of terror clear on her face.

"Keep Running!" Instructed Ruby as she tucked Crescent Rose back into its holster.

"It was like our bullets didn't even phase him."

"Bullets? That fucker took a sniper round to the skull and didn't flinch!" Yang retorted over her shoulder at Blake.

"And what was up with that arm?" Nora's usual playful tone noticeably missing while recalling the frightening sight.

"It was like he had a Grimm grafted to where his arm should have been." Ren added, equally as disturbed as his partner.

"Guys! Turn left! Weiss status report!" Jaune demanded, sword and shield at the ready should he need to take a stand and hold their pursuer back.

"Last I saw he was just walking." Weiss stated as she rounded the previous corner to rejoin her friends.

"Walking?" Blake asked, disbelief strong in her voice.

"Yes, walking!" Weiss snapped at her. "It didn't even look like he, **it**, was trying to chase us."

"But **is** **it** still following us?" Questioned the leader of Team RWBY. Somehow, she seemed to be the only one keeping her cool.

"I'm not going to stop to find out!" Yang declared. She'd seen enough horror movies to be un-rationally paranoid.

"I put up an ice wall to block the hallway. That should buy us some time."

"Let's rest then. If it is no rush, and with Weiss' barrier, then we've put plenty of distance between us. Let's catch our breaths."

"What did I just say Jaune?!"

"Damnit Yang!" He snapped. Tensions were high enough as it was, Jaune didn't need one more thing to set him over the edge.

"Just for a minute, please." The fellow leader pleaded with her sister.

"Fine!" Yang relented. The reluctance was strong, but the last thing she was going to do was run off and wind up separated from the group. That's horror movie 101 of what NOT to do.

The seven of them slowed to a stop in the corridor, the windows on their right adding something to the dim lighting that was filling the halls. Everyone was out of breath from their mad dash following their chilling encounter.

"Ruby, you're always taking Jaune's side lately." Yang scoffed at her sibling.

"What? No, I'm not."

"Actually Ruby, you kind of do."

Not dating a week yet and already taking her sister's side. Dang it Blake.

"Only when he has good ideas."

Yang, Blake and Weiss all gave Ruby a blank stare. As if there was more to it than what she claimed.

"Anyways we should find a place to lay low." Ruby stated. Somewhat eager to change the subject. "What about the rooms? Are any of them-"

"Locked." Jaune said, hand releasing from a door knob.

"All of them." Nora added, her third door failing to open.

"Just like the rest." Ren's voice was heavy, concerned. As if the futility of it was starting to get to him.

"What is up with this crazy place?!" The tedious runaround was really wearing the brawler out mentally.

"Perhaps we should just leave." Blake wrapped a protective arm around Yang in an attempt to help calm her down. Thankfully it did seem like she relaxed into the embrace. "If we break through these windows at least we can get out of here."

"I don't think that is a good idea."

"Why not Weiss?" Ruby questioned, walking over to her partner who was staring out the large window.

"We are only on the second floor, but I can't even see the ground through all this fog."

"Second? I thought we were on the third floor?" Nora could have sworn they went up multiple flights of stairs before now.

"Didn't we go down a flight? Aren't we back on the first floor?" Blake turned to Yang for confirmation, but she was still lost in her thoughts.

"Regardless, it would be too dangerous to head out into that fog now." As unfortunate as it was, Jaune was probably right. "We're better off waiting for it to clear up first."

"With that **thing** trapped in here with us?"

"Yang, we don't have much of a choice."

"There you go again sis, agreeing with Jaune!"

That 'thing' Yang was referring to was a giant of a man. He easily towered over the tallest of them. His face hidden in the shadow of the blood red hood he wore. And that arm, it was nearly as big as Weiss. Black tendrils seemed to sprout off its shoulder and contort together to form the shape of an arm. Its hand, reminiscent of a Beowolf's claw, but larger. Sharper. More ferocious. It would have easily been able to wrap its fingers around anyone's torso. That is if it didn't slice through them first. Those fingers, nearly a foot long and all razor sharp. As if someone just grafted swords to their hand. Try as they might, that bone chilling stare, a faint yellow glow that pierced through the darkness would haunt them for some time.

"Is everyone alright?" Putting his sword and shield away, he walked over to the petite woman whose hand rested on her shoulder. "Weiss it tossed you around pretty bad. Are you hurt?"

"Only my pride."

"How much ammo do we all have? We should take inventory while we can. Who knows when that . . . creature will catch up with us."

While Ruby and Jaune continue to check up with everyone, Nora's attention was drawn out the window. Staring out into the fog, she let her mind just wander. Like her mind, her eyes wandered too. Looking for even the tiniest glimpse of what lay beyond the night's fog. To her surprise two tiny red dots started to come into focus in the distance. The two dots were quickly followed by a third, then a fourth. Street lamps, buildings, . . . fire. Yet it all looked familiar, like she'd been there before. Like she was there now. Burning buildings crumbling around her. Screams of people being silenced by Grimm. The cobblestone street beneath her feet, the cool night air and . . . it. The Nuckelavee Grimm that had attacked Kuroyuri. That was currently attacking Kuroyuri. That was mere yards from her. Even though they had defeated it, even though Nora knew that it was no more, the mere sight of it brought back all those fears and anxieties she had felt when she first laid eyes on it as a child. Then it looked at her. Stared right into her eyes and-

"AHHH!" Nora's scream nearly caused a chain reaction throughout the rest of her friends.

"Nora, are you alright? You've been staring out that window for five minutes now." Ever the one to take note of her mannerisms, Ren was there comforting his partner who looked pale, sickly, unhinged.

"Huh?" Turning back to face the pane, only the same old fog seemed to greet her. Ever present. Ever unchanging. Ever ominous. "Yeah Ren, I'm okay. Really." Ren didn't pester her further, which was good because she didn't want to talk about it. Whatever she had seen, it wasn't real. It couldn't be real. Just a bad memory. She'd push it to the back of her mind. She had to; they were moving again.

They had been walking for near an hour since their first encounter with the mysterious man with the Grimmly arm and they hadn't seen hide nor hair of anyone else. Every door they came across was locked. Just hall after hall comprised of closed doors. How were they so sure this place was a mansion, it felt more like a hotel. To make matters worse, it constantly felt like that man was merely two steps behind them, never giving them time to relax, only ever enough time to catch their breaths.

_You stupid, incompetent fool!_

"Did you hear that?"

"Hear what Weiss?"

"It sounded like, . . . You know what Ruby, forget it.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it's nothing."

It had been nothing for near forty minutes now. The voice that only Weiss could seem to hear had started off feint. Almost like a whisper in the back of her mind. However, the longer they wandered these empty halls the louder it got. She couldn't put her finger on the voice at first, but it had come to her before long. The insults. That condescending tone. The soulless voice of a monster. Without a doubt, it was her father who owned that voice. By why here? Why now? Why was only she plagued with these auditory apparitions? Had to be from stress. The stress of being chased around by who knows what through this poorly designed, sorry excuse of a building.

"Wait, did anyone hear that?" Ren's voice caused everyone to take pause. Each intent on listening for anything out of the ordinary.

Was she not alone? Was there another who could also hear her father's voice? But he hadn't said anything. At least, she hadn't heard it.

"Is that . . . ?" His partner stammered.

"Sounds like, something being dragged across the wall?" Her silver eyes peered back down the empty hallway.

"Guys I think we need to move, NOW!" Bellowed the other leader.

And off they went. Each person hurried into a sprint; their hands ready to draw their weapon at a moment's notice. All except for Yang. She had stopped to tie the laces on her boots prior to everyone halting before they broke out in a mad dash. The sudden alarm of the beast closing in on them made her forget how a knot was supposed to be tied. By the time she had finished, Yang was bringing up the tail end of their little train. Some were already rounding the next corner by the time she took off.

"Hey! Wait for me!"

But the blonde's words seemed to fall on deaf ears. Her heart jumped into her chest and she'd rather fight a hundred Nevermores than be here right now. While putting in her best efforts to match the speed boost that her little sister got with her semblance, Yang took off. In her attempt to catch up with her friends, something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. A light was peering out of a crack under one of the doors. No, there wasn't just a crack, the door was open. Well ajar, but that meant there was a room they could hide in.

"Hey! Come back, I found something!" But no response.

There was just something about that room. She doubled back to peer inside. A feint glow escaped through the cracks. As Yang pushed it open more light greeted her. A warm orangish flare. A fire. And on the ground, a broken pillar. The room looked trashed. Something terrible certainly went on in there. As she continued her surveillance, the room looked far bigger than she had expected. Rubble littered the floor as small fires scattered about lite up the scene. A hauntingly familiar scene. The more she looked, the more she seemed drawn into the room.

"Blake?"

On the floor she spots the cat Faunus, wounded. Clutching at her stomach. A knot tugged at Yang's chest. Her breath becomes ragged and her arm trembles at the sight before her. Adam Taurus stood over Blake; his blood red sword sheathed into her side. Just like that night. Just like the fall of Beacon. Then he turned his gaze to her, and smiled. As if she wasn't seeing a memory. As if he was really there. As if he was coming for her. Yang Quickly recoiled back out of instinct the moment he took a step towards her and nearly jumped out of her skin when her back ran into something. Someone.

"Yang?" Blake's voice flowed into her ears like honey jolting her attention away for the briefest of moments. "Why did you stop?"

"Blake? But-" Yang quickly snapped her head back in Adam's direction, except he wasn't there. None of the scene was. Only the door, shut. Same as the rest. "No, but. Blake the door, it was open. I saw . . ." Yang's mind was a mess. What had she scene? The fall of Beacon behind a closed door? That didn't make any sense.

"Yang," Concern littered her face. "The door was shut when I got here. You were just staring at nothing. See." Blake's hand moved to the handle, proving that it was still locked. Same as any other door they had come across.

She wasn't sure what she had just seen, but Yang decided to banish it from her thoughts. Adam? That was impossible! He was dead. She was sure of it. She and Blake had both stabbed him through the heart, watched his lifeless body fall into the river. They had made sure he wouldn't be coming back. Try as she might, it still weighed on her mind. They moved to rejoin the rest of their friends, leaving that door far behind.

When they finally caught up with everyone else, what they were greeted with wasn't the comforting call of their companions but their screams of anguish. That monstrous beast had beaten them there and was currently engaged in combat. Nora let fly a volley of grenades, but they were blocked by that oversized appendage of his. Yang and Blake joined the battle just in time to catch Weiss who was sent careening through the air at the monster's backhanded swipe. Given the narrowed nature of the hallway, there wasn't much the more agile members could do to dance around the man. At least the intersection they found themselves in provided a little more room. Blake used her semblance to doge it's human hand, the strength it carried was easily superior to a semblance fueled Yang. Sadly, Blake hadn't been able to doge that devilish hand and took one of the bladed fingers through her abdomen, pinning her to the wall. The combined charge of Jaune and Yang sent the towering man off Blake who fell to the floor clutching at her new wound.

"We need to get out of here, NOW! Ruby!" Weiss held a dust cartridge in her hand and instantly Ruby knew what her partner was thinking. She chucked it at their adversary and when Ruby's fire dust round made contact with Weiss' ice cartridge it created a large steam explosion right in the man's face. With Yang carrying Blake bridal style, they all made their tactical retreat.

Looking down at the woman in her arms, what bothered Yang most wasn't that Blake's aura didn't seem to be actively trying to heal her. No, the eerie thing was that her wound happened to be in the exact same spot where Adam had stabbed her.

Five minutes of running, two flights of stairs, fifteen minutes of walking and they found an oasis in this desert of halls. A restroom. Oddly enough two, one for men and one for women. This place was feeling more like a creepy hotel by the minute. But they had found fresh water, a place to finally relieve themselves. They weren't going to voice a complaint about the architectural choices. Per Jaune's suggestion, they entered in pairs. Jaune with Ren and Ruby with Weiss were the first groups to enter after they tended to Blake's wound. Not even Jaune's semblance seemed to have any affect.

Jaune was splashing some water onto his face after washing his hands. Staring into the mirror, he noticed that all this stress was doing a number on his complexion. They had been stuck running around for who knows how long, and all the jumpscares weren't doing anyone any good. They had only run into a single other creature in the building besides themselves. There was no telling what horrors they could find around any corner.

". . . _Jaune_ . . ." A voice. Almost a whisper, almost inaudible over the running water.

" . . . _Jaune _. . ." There it was again. A familiar sound.

". . . _Jaune . . _." A pale figure reflected in the mirror that time giving him a fright. When he turned around there was nobody there. **Nothing** was there, just the bathroom stalls. The room was eerily quiet except for the flushing of Ren's toilet.

"Pyrrha?"

_How dare you act in such a manner!_

_You bring shame to the Schnee name!_

_Think about your position for once!_

_You will do as I say!_

_Your opinion is of no consequence!_

Jacques Schnee's voice continued to spout out it's condescending and authoritative words. The voice had grown louder, more frequent since Weiss first heard its whispers. It was becoming too much to bear. She was brought down on her knees, hands pressed to the sides of her head like a vice in a futile attempt to drown out the scornful voice.

"No. Make it stop. Make it stop." She pleaded to no one. For who would have the power to silence that man?

"Weiss? Look at me. Are you okay? Weiss!"

"Ruby?"

The voice had died down, she was spared. For now. Tears flowed down her cheeks, there was only so much a person could take before their body would inevitably reach its breaking point. Ruby took Weiss into a soothing hug, not sure what was wrong but certain that her friend needed comforting.

"Weiss, I can't promise that I can help, but if there is something troubling you, please talk to me. This place is messed up, but at least we can be here for each other."

Her leader's words, though foolish, were indeed comforting. Casting aside her pride, Weiss relented to share her plight.

"Ruby, I know this is going to sound crazy but, I am hearing my father's voice."

Ruby said nothing but waited for Weiss to continue. Of course, it wouldn't be that easy.

"After we first encountered that abomination, I could hear it. His words from my childhood. At first, I thought I was just hearing things. This place does oddly remind me of home. In a sick, twisted kind of way. "

"Weiss . . . "

"No one else seemed to be able to hear him, so I tried to ignore it. But Ruby, the voices are growing louder. I can't keep blocking him out. Every time I relax, there he is. Telling me I'm not good enough, I'm a failure, making me feel so small and helpless. Ruby, I-"

But she was cut off by her friends warm embrace.

"Weiss, you're not a failure. You are amazing, and you have come so far from who you used to be. I don't know why you are hearing him say these horrible things, but none of us feel that way. We love you, and we will always be here for you. To help and support you through anything."

"Yeah, we're here for you Weiss. You are our friend."

"Nora? Why are you-"

"You two were taking a long time. We got worried." Nora's eyes were down, her hand comfortingly gripping onto her other arm. Her usual energy seemed drained from her body.

"How much did you hear?" Weiss questioned. Embarrassment, shame, some combination of the two? Whichever it was, she wore it on her face. Ruby, her partner, her friend, she was willing to show weakness to. Weiss would prefer not to show it to others.

Back out in the hall, Yang and the injured Blake were the only people left to act as lookouts. Both slumped on the floor with their back to the wall so nothing could sneak up on them in this three-way intersection. Yang had been quiet, serious, unsettling; and Blake wouldn't have it.

"Yang," She started. "What is wrong?"

"What's wrong? What's wrong is we're trapped in this stupid house with a monster we can't seem to hurt and now you have a hole in your side that your damn aura isn't doing anything about!"

Blake's hand moved to rest on Yang's. She lightly griped it comfortingly to let Yang know that she wasn't alone. That she doesn't have to put up a brave face. Not with her. Never with her.

"What is really bothering you?"

". . . You know that room you found me in front of?"

"Yes?"

"Before you showed up, it was open. I was able to look inside."

"Yang, that door was locked shut. You couldn't have-"

"I know! It's just . . . hear me out. I saw it. The fall of Beacon. The destruction. You getting stabbed." Her eyes fell to the fresh wound, a knot forming in her gut. "I also saw . . . him. Adam."

Blake said nothing. She merely tightened her grip on Yang's hand. An action that brought the blond more comfort and peace than she expected.

"It's crazy I know! There is no way he could have been here, that I could have seen any of that. But it felt so **real**, like I was there. I could feel the heat from the fire on my skin. I could smell the smoke. Then he looked at me. Right before you showed up Blake. I swear, he was about to lunge for me."

Her hand moved to wrap around herself in a feeble attempt at protection. Blake could tell that Yang was visibly trembling with her words. Her next action came almost instinctively as she wrapped her own arms around Yang in a loving embrace. The pain from her wound be damned. They just sat like that until Yang's shaking calmed down.

"I don't think you're crazy Yang." Blake said with a sweet enough voice that could calm a crying infant. She struggled with her next words. Almost like she didn't want to admit them herself. "This may not bring you any comfort, but I've felt like I've seen Adam too."

At the sudden news Yang jerked her head away so her shocked lilac eyes could stare into Blake's amber ones.

"Not in the same way as you, but out of the corner of my eye. In the reflections of the windows and lamps. It's like he is always just out of my sight. There but not there. I don't know how else to explain it. I didn't want to freak anyone out, so I've been keeping it to myself."

It was Blake's turn to need that hug. She was shaken up something fierce.

"For how long?" After Yang broke their hug, she cradled Blake's face in her human hand. An attempt of returning the same comfort and peace that had been brought to her.

"Huh?"

"How long have you been . . . haunted by Adam?"

"Weird way to phrase it." Her eyes rolling at the thought of even his spirt not being able to leave her alone.

"Kinda fits this place, no?"

They both share in the much-needed laugh. Unsettling as it may have been.

"I'd say . . . maybe not long after we first ran into that man. The one with the Grimm arm."

"Long before me then."

"Yeah . . ."

Back in the girl's bathroom; Nora just finished telling Weiss and Ruby about her vision from earlier. The three of them just sat there in silence while trying to process everything.

"Do you think," Ruby started. "Do you think this is happening to everyone else too? Like Weiss' voices or your vision Nora?"

"Not sure. If it is then they are doing a good job of keeping quiet about it."

"Was that Grimm really so scary? The one you all fought in Ren's village."

"Weiss," Ruby took a moment to consider the comparisons. "think nightmare incarnate."

Before anything more could be said, from outside the bathroom a loud shattering sound could be heard. When the three of them rushed out, they found Jaune and Ren also just exiting the bathroom. On the ground, a broken vase. Yang and Blake, oddly missing.

"Ruby! Weiss! Nora? What happened?"

"Jaune, we don't know." Ruby looked back and forth between the two men, the broken vase and down the empty halls in a vain attempt at finding her fellow teammates.

"Where are Blake and Yang?" White hair whipped about from joining her partner in scanning for the two women.

"They weren't in the bathroom with you three?"

"No!" Exclaimed Ruby. She quickly pulled out her scroll and frantically started dialing Yang's number. Weiss did the same for Blake.

"Gah no signal!" She nearly tossed her scroll before Weiss rested her hand on Ruby's arm to calm her down.

"I can't get a signal either." She mournfully said while shaking her head.

"What are we going to do?" Pink eyes drifted between the two leaders in hope that someone had an idea. Any idea to help them out of this situation.

"I don't like it but I think we should split up."

"Ruby that is a terrible idea!"

"We are running out of options Jaune! Blake is hurt and we have no idea where they went. They couldn't have gotten far and I doubt they went back down the way we came."

"Okay Ruby, calm down." With his hands on her shoulders, Ruby let her head fall onto Jaune's breast. Odd that even at times like these, Jaune was still able to quell the unease in her chest. "Ren, Nora, you two take the right path. Weiss, you'll be with us. After twenty minutes lets meet back here at the bathrooms. It's the only landmark we have."

With that, the two teams separated, each going down their respective path. With any luck they'd find Blake and Yang quickly. Before something else does.

After five minutes of walking in silence, the unnatural feeling around her was becoming too much to bear. Looking over at Ren, she thought back to Weiss and Ruby. How the former nearly imploded on herself trying to contain what was troubling her and how Ruby had helped to ease her out of it. Taking a small moment to ready herself, Nora decides to come clean to Ren.

"Hey Ren?" No response, but she knows he is listening. "In the bathroom, Weiss told us something weird. She said that she has been hearing her father's voice. Like its haunting her or something. She was collapsed on the floor because it was so loud, but none of us could hear it. . . . I don't like this place."

Nora grabbed Ren's hand for comfort. He knew his life-long friend and now lover well enough that there was far more weighing on her mind than she admitted. His thumb gently rubbed circles over the top of her hand. When he glanced over, eyes asking for more, she couldn't find it in herself to keep quiet.

"Earlier . . . I was kinda seeing things too. When I was looking out into the fog, I saw Kuroyuri. But it was like the night we first met. The Grimm were attacking, people were screaming, everything was on fire. **That** Grimm was there. It was so weird. I was in the hall with everyone one moment, then the next I was in the village. Facing down that Grimm. This place, there is just something wrong about it."

"Nora, I feel it too. I can't put my finger on it, but something is clearly not right. It's not just your vision or Weiss' voices. I hear it too. That Grimm that destroyed my village. I hear it's screams, the hoof steps echoing through the halls. But that's not all."

"Ren that is terrible! What else could there be?"

"I- I can't use my semblance anymore."

"What?"

"I've been trying to use it on myself for a long time now, but it isn't working. Nora, there is something very wrong here. We should find Blake and Yang then get out of this place as fast as we can."

Back with the team of three, Ruby was huddled close to Jaune so she could whisper into his ear. Weiss took up the rear guard a few feet away, but her attention was torn. Telling Ruby, and unintentionally Nora, about the voices had helped. Unfortunately, his voice hadn't gone away.

"Are you for real right now?" He yelled in a hushed whisper to Ruby.

"Yes, Weiss said she keeps hearing her dad's voice yelling at her." She confirmed in her own hushed tone. "That's not all. Nora said that she saw that weird horse/ human Grimm from Kuroyuri."

"But that's not possible. Right?"

"I think so too, but they are both so sure of it. This place is freaky. I think it might be messing with their heads. Personally, I haven't noticed anything strange yet."

"Besides the obvious?"

"Okay, there is that. But I wonder if whatever is happening to the both of them is happening to anyone else."

". . . I know it's happening to at least one other person." Jaune reluctantly admitted. He has known Ruby for a long time now. She is one of the few people he could trust with anything. One of the few people he does trust completely.

"Did Ren say something to you?"

"No, Ren didn't say anything . . . It's me, Ruby. There is something wrong with me. When I was in the bathroom, I heard a voice. But not just anyone's voice. I think . . . I know it was Pyrrha's."

Suddenly the air was tense between the two leaders. Things had gotten better, but Jaune was still in mourning over her death. Any time she was mentioned was a touchy subject.

"Jaune . . . I,"

"She only said my name, I think, but that wasn't all. I saw her. Well it was only for a moment; but it was like a ghostly outline of her. I thought I was losing my mind since Ren didn't hear her. Though after what you said about Weiss and Nora, I think I'm probably worse off since I have both . . . symptoms? You're really okay? Nothing out of the ordinary?"

"Trying not to lose my mind over how terrifying and crazy everything around me is? Yeah typical day for Ruby Rose."

With her rapier Myrtenaster at the ready, Weiss scanned the halls listening for the tiniest of hints to their missing friends, or their ominous pursuer. Luckily for her, her father's voice had yet to make itself known again. A few rooms ahead, an icy blue glow escaping past the underside of a door caught her eye. When she approaches, Weiss can see that unlike the infinite doors they had already passed, this one was not latched. Not wanting to interrupt whatever conversation Ruby and Jaune were having ahead of her, she gently rests her hand on the door's face, easing it open. The room was dark except for a lone spot of pale blue light off in the far corner of the room. Without any thought her feet carry her beyond the threshold and into the empty space. Then she heard it. The voice reaching her ears before the shadowy figure came into view.

_How could you be so careless?! _

_Do you have any idea what you've done?_

Her father's voice, but it was different. Like he wasn't speaking to her. So who was he berating this time? His back was facing her, his silhouette only visible by the light which radiated down in front of him. In the pool of light another form appeared as she took another step. A young girl with snow white hair. The child desperately trying to hold back her tears.

_I'm sorry._

_Sorry? SORRY?! Sorry won't fix the damages that you've caused!_

It was like looking through a looking glass into her past. Her feet carried her further into the room, towards the child, an intense desire to spare the girl from her father's wrath when the distant echo of a voice reached her ears.

"Weiss."

"Weiss!"

"WEISS!"

Turning around, she saw Ruby and Jaune just coming into view beyond the door frame; the both of them still screaming her name. At what point had she wandered so far into the room? But there was no time for questions. The moment their eyes met; the room's door slammed shut.

"NOOOO!"

Ruby's hand hammered down on the door, desperate to open it once more. But it was locked, sealed the moment they had reached it. Who? How? Why? None of that mattered. Their friend was trapped on the other side and they needed to get her out.

"Weiss? WEISS?! Can you hear me?!" There was no response from behind the door. "Weiss hold on! We'll get you out!" Ruby's pleas continued to ring out as she tried desperately to elicit a response.

"Ruby move back!"

Jaune rushed into the door, using his shoulder as a battering ram against the hard-wooden surface. Still the obstruction would not budge. Again, and again Jaune threw himself against it, but each successive assault proved just as potent as the first. Even his aura failing to activate to relieve the throbbing pain in his shoulder didn't slow him down. Ruby brandished her weapon in its gun mode before setting loose a volley of shots at the door. Despite all her effort, she had barely anything to show for it. Though the bullets did seem to leave a mark, the door showed no signs of breaking.

"Weiss, please answer us! We aren't going to leave you! We're not going to lose you too." Ruby's pleas were devolving into a whimper. At this point Jaune attempted to hack away at the door's surface with his sword. The action left little more than shallow cut after cut against the stubborn wooden structure. Never had he heard Ruby sound so desperate, so scared.

Suddenly a scream radiates through the halls, Nora's scream, and the two leaders are left with a choice to make. They look into each other's eyes, the hesitation and uncertainty clear on their faces, but they both knew what they needed to do.

"Weiss we'll be right back. I swear it!" Ruby promised.

"We'll bring Nora here and she'll have you out of that room before you know it. Or my name isn't Jaune Arc!"

"Weiss, please; please be okay."

A comforting hand comes to a rest on Ruby's back, the knight giving her a weak smile. At least Jaune was still there with her. If she had been alone . . . she didn't want to think about it. The two leaders rushed off in Nora and Ren's direction, adamant to return before Weiss has a chance to miss them. As their figures rush down the hall; the marks left by their weapons' desperate attempts to remove the obstacle begin to fade away. Little by little the marks disappear until the door looks like all the others. Pristine, perfect, unrecognizable.

When Ruby and Jaune finally catch up, they find their friends in the worst possible situation. That monster of a man had reached them first. Nora lay unconscious against a wall, her head resting in a pool of blood. They rushed to her side first as the usual calm and composed Ren took on their assailant alone. He had completely lost his composure, screaming a warriors' cry with each attempted assault. He was going at the man with everything he had in a blind furry.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! It's not working!"

"Jaune, what's not working?"

"My semblance! I can't activate it. I can't heal her Ruby!"

"Bandage her head then, we need to stop the bleeding. I'll go help Ren."

But it was too little too late. Ren went to shoot the beast in the head only to find his clips were both empty. In the next instant, the oversized clawed hand swiped through the air. Sending Ren flying across the hall, past his friends, and into a wall. He sat there motionless before coughing up some blood.

"REN! Damnit. Ruby take Ren and Nora and get out of here!"

"What?! Jaune no I can't-"

"I'll buy you as much time as I can."

"Let me hold him off, you'll have better luck carrying them than I will."

"Ruby you're weapon is practically useless in these cramped halls. It has to be me. Please get my team to safety."

Without giving her another chance to protest, Jaune opened his shield and charged at the man, letting it's Grimmly claw spark across his shield as he narrowly adjusted its trajectory. Cursing him under her breath, Ruby did as she was instructed. Carefully she picked up Nora and tried rushing over to Ren. Much to her dismay, her semblance wasn't working either. With a hobbling Ren, the two of them carried Nora down another corridor. The sounds of Jaune's fight echoing after them.

Several minutes went by and not a word was spoken between them. Both solely focused on putting as much distance as possible between them and the threat. Not far after their third corner, Nora stirred awake. Terrified, her first reaction was to look for Ren. The group stopped to catch their breath while Ren tried to calm Nora down.

"Ren, oh no. Are you alright?"

"Yeah Nora. Probably a broken rib or two. Ahh, I'll live. I'm more worried about you." His hand moved to cup her cheek. Blood still flowing down over Nora's left eye which had swollen shut.

"How did this happen? Did that guy really break both of your auras that fast? We weren't apart for that long."

Ren and Nora shared a glance with each other before turning to a frantic Ruby.

"He didn't break our Aura." Ren finally said.

"But then how-"

"It was like our aura never activated. It isn't working for the both of us. Neither is Ren's semblance."

"You guys too?"

"Too? Yours isn't either?"

"No, neither are Jaune's or my semblance. OH NO JAUNE! If his semblance isn't working then maybe his aura isn't either. And he is fighting that thing alone. He could die, I need to help him!"

But Ruby was quickly pulled back to the floor by both Ren and Nora. They trusted their leader. He has made amazing progress since starting Beacon and they were sure Jaune wasn't foolish enough to fight an enemy he couldn't beat. Well there was that time with Cinder, but they trusted he'd only hold it off long enough for them to get away. Having complete confidence in their leader, they turned to Ruby with a single question resting on both of their lips.

"Where is Weiss?"

Before Ruby could answer, they heard the loud pounding of footsteps in the distance. Bounding around the corner after them was their favorite knight in tattered armor. With a reassured smile that he could see his friends again, Jaune jogged over in their direction. Relief washed over each wounded soul upon seeing that dopey smile approaching them. They could not help the smiles that began to form on all of their own faces.

Jaune was mere feet away when he was stopped in his tracks. A tendril of black flesh spearing through his side, spraying blood all over the floor.

"JAUNE! NOOOOO!" The once soothing grin that was forming on Ruby's face instantaneously contorted with horror as tears finally fell from her eyes.

The tendril retracted from Jaune's side in a mad dash, allowing him to collapse onto the floor. It wormed its way back into the arm of the mysterious man it was attached to. The flesh of the tendril changing shape, returning to the claw like appendage they were familiar with. Once more the creature began its slow pace towards them.

Ruby quickly rushed to Jaune's side, cradling him in her arms. As she gazes down at the fist sized hole in his body, she stammered out something. Her eyes wide in disbelief.

"No no no this can't be happening. Jaune please don't let this be happening!"

As Jaune lays in her arms, he reached up with his blood-stained hand to wipe the tears from her face. His thumb leaving a red streak where the tears used to be. His actions were weak which only caused her to weep more. He reached up once more and she took his hand in her's.

"Ruby, run. Please. Take Nora and Ren, rescue Weiss, find Blake and Yang. Get out of here. Get to safety. Live." His voice is almost pleading as tears fall from his own eyes.

"Jaune I can't. We aren't leaving you! You're not dying here. You hear me?!" The tears were back on her face and Jaune could see in her eyes that Ruby would never leave him. That she wouldn't be able to bring herself to leave him behind.

Nora and Ren rush past them to hold off the creature so Ruby could drag Jaune to safety. But they were too wounded to do any good. With a single swipe of the monstrous claw, both are sent flying through the air with fresh gashes across their bodies. Though not dead, Ren and Nora could no longer move. Each one writhing in pain, unable to do anything to help their friends. The man finally reaches Ruby and Jaune, the former having her back to the beast.

Jaune's eyes glaze over as he struggles to breath. He reaches up once more for his finger to graze her tear stained cheek. She is nothing but a blur to him now, but that doesn't remove the content smile from his face. The monster of a man raises his arm into the air, ready to deliver the final, fatal blow.

"Ruby," Jaune starts weakly. "For, for so long now. I have lo-" But his words are cut short. His hand falls to the ground. Motionless. Dead. Ruby clasps Jaune's head to her chest and screams out as the monster's arm comes swinging down. A blinding light of silver engulfs all.

The next sight that fills her view is that of the inside of her tent. Her heart is racing, tears are flowing from her silver eyes and she is covered in a cold sweat. 'Just a dream' she says to herself. The cries of some animal snap her to attention. She grabs Crescent Rose and darts out of the tent and into their camp site. Looking around, everyone else is there. Yang, Blake, Weiss, . . . Jaune. Everyone is fine, all with their weapons drawn. The cries ring out once more and her attention is drawn to a small Grimm no bigger than a Boarbatustk that is thrashing about near the dead campfire.

The full broken moon illuminated the Atlesian landscape, and their terrifying visitor. The Grimm had the snout of a Goliath, arms of a Beowolf, and the body of a creep. Its entire hind end was encased in a thick miasma of some glowing purple fog, the same fog laced around its neck creating an eerie mane. It was a terrifying chimera of a creature, and they wasted no time in disposing of it.

Ruby let a sniper round fly right into its temple, stunning the Grimm for a few seconds. That was long enough for Jaune to plunge his sword down through the beast, pinning it to the ground for everyone to fire off a round into it. When it finally died, the Grimm disappeared in a cloud of black leaving only Jaune's sword behind.

No sooner had the beast vanished had Ruby leapt into Jaune's arms, knocking the both of them down onto the cold ground. Her tears rang out without a care who heard. She was just so happy that he was safe. So happy that he was alive. That he hadn't been taken from her. She wailed into Jaune's chest and there was nothing he could do other than wrap a comforting arm around her back. Her grip on him only tightening at the contact.

Once Ruby calmed down, she was only broken from her trance when she heard Yang's faux coughing. Ruby sat up on Jaune's lap, finally noticing that everyone had circled around them and were staring. The sudden realization sent a flurry of blood rushing to her face, giving it a magnificent glow. Jaune's face on the other hand radiated its own crimson sheen thanks to the woman who was still straddling his lap.

"Wooooo~ Get a room you two~!" Nora teases.

"How about not." Wiess rebuffs.

"Hey, I have a question. What. The hell. Was. THAT?" Never had Ruby been happier to have Yang change the subject.

"_That," _Stated the retired huntress as she used her skull topped cane to walk over to the group. "If I'm not mistaken, was a Baku Grimm."

"A Baku? But I thought those were just a myth." Uttered the seasoned huntsman as he returned his multi-form scythe to its sword form.

"Apparently not sunny. Though in my long life this is my first time seeing one."

"Would one of you adults care to explain what a Baku Grimm is to the rest of us?" Maybe she needed her beauty rest, but for whatever reason Yang was in a particularly bad mood.

"Oh, keep your shirt on girl. Gather around, there is something I'd like to check." All comply with Maria's instruction, except for Jaune and Oscar who take it upon themselves to start up another campfire. "Now the Baku is said to be a shy creature of Grimm. Like the Apathy, it isn't strong in battle but it's powers more than make up for it. Rumor has it that the creature devourers hope, or something like that, while a person is asleep. But that just sounds stupid to me. There isn't much known about them truthfully."

"Yeah, from what little I've gathered while running around for Ozpin, it supposedly causes people to see nightmares. There was a case a long time ago of a village having an unusual number of people dying in their sleep. Nearly all the cases were written off as heart attacks. Old, young, sick, healthy. There was no connection between any of them besides the location."

"Oh you've heard that story too? Granted it is from long before even my time, but from how they recorded it; supposedly someone stumbled on the Grimm, scaring it off. After that, no more weird deaths. It sounds like the Grimm was the cause of terrible nightmares. It probably fed off the negative emotions while people dreamt, leaving them a hollow husk of their former self. If they didn't die in their sleep first. I reason we have Ruby's silver eyes to thank for our timely wake-up call. Now girl, care to share your nightmare with the rest of us?"

Once her story was done, all eyes fell from Ruby to the campfire. She was really shaken up after recalling what she could of the dream. All were left speechless at the fact that seven of them had been sharing the same terrible nightmare. Throughout Ruby's story, several others chimed in recalling the same events, only further cementing the fact. Much like what Maria had thought, the Grimm somehow had the power to link people's minds while they slumbered. Rather than bringing any kind of comfort to knowing they were not alone through their ordeal, it only server to rattle everyone's nerves further. Especially if the Grimm was able to show them what they feared the most though such a convincing hallucination. Inner demons they could come to terms with. But not being able to tell fantasy from reality was a stress none of them were ready for.

Though no surprise, it was suggested that they all try to go back to sleep. The middle of the night was no time to start their day in a snowy tundra. Nearly all were reluctant to attempt sleep again after what they'd been through. However, the symphony of yawns and descending eyelids proved stronger motivators than their concerns. Qrow and Maria volunteered to stay up on first watch. They hadn't mentioned what they dreamt of, but knowing their past it couldn't have been anything pleasant.

Nora, who had been clinging to Ren's arm since Ruby's story began, was led over to one of the tents. They'd no doubt be sleeping together for comfort. Others paired off as well. Blake and Yang wandered off to share one tent, both speaking in hushed tones to keep their conversation private. Weiss helped Ruby to her tent, partners comforting partners in times of distress. Though neither girl felt much like talking. Only the sweet release of sleep to forget this terrible night was desired between them.

Oscar took to his own tent, as did Jaune. The former seemingly to have been the only odd one out of the ordeal to not have a single nightmare at all. While bundled alone in his sleeping bag, he called out to the empty space.

"Ozpin? Are you alright?"

Thirty minutes had flown by like nothing and Jaune still lay awake in his tent. Sleep continued to elude him despite the fatigue of his body. His hand continued to rest on the phantom wound from their nightmare adventure. It had only been a dream, but it felt real. Too real. He'd give the Grimm credit for the quality of it's work. Nothing quite like the sensation of dying to keep the mind restless. The sound of a zipper snapped him out of his stupor. The following rustle of the tent's opening caused him to turn and lay witness to the young girl sneaking into his tent.

"Oh, sorry Jaune, looks like you caught me. Did I wake you?"

"No Ruby. I couldn't get back to sleep. You?"

"Same." She shyly nods. The memories of the Baku's nightmare still fresh in her mind. "Can I . . . Can I stay with you for a little while?" An unnoticeable blush creeping onto her face.

Jaune couldn't make out much in the darkness, but he somehow could see that Ruby was trembling where she stood. Though he couldn't be sure if it was because of their experience or the cold.

"Sigh, go get your sleeping bag th- . . . and she is gone. Heh."

A moment later Ruby returned. With her sleeping bag sprawled out next to him, she climbed in and got as cozy as she could. With her presence behind him, Jaune had finally started to drift off to sleep when a tug at his back dragged his attention from the sweet calls of slumber. Turning around he saw the small hand protruding from the bag and knew exactly what she wanted. Without a word he extended his hand to comfortingly grip hers. For the next few minutes they just laid there without uttering a single word. Hand in hand as they tried to drift off. Little did they know, but both leaders attempted to steal a glance at the other's face when they thought they weren't looking. Before either of them knew it, the both of them succumb to slumber.

Once morning came, Oscar and Blake were the first to wake. Haven failed to find Ruby in the tent with Weiss, Blake decided to check if Jaune was awake and might know where she was. The two had been getting awfully close in the last few weeks and she figured if anyone could keep track of Ruby, it'd be him.

"Jaune are you up? Ruby wasn't in Weiss' tent. You wouldn't happen to know where she is would – Oh." The sight that greeted her was slightly surprising, but certainly amusing.

"Did you find something Blake?"

Before them were the two leaders. Two sleeping bags. But only one bag was in use. Jaune and Ruby were cuddled up tight in his sleeping bag. Ruby's face buried in his chest, nuzzling contently while her lips mumbled with sleep talk. Those same lips were pulled up into a tranquil smile while embraced by Jaune's warmth. It was hard to see with the sleeping bag covering them, but Blake could swear that Jaune's arm was wrapped protectively around the little reaper. A smile on his own pair of lips.

"Sigh, I guess we should wake them before Yang or Qrow finds them like this."

"Hold up one sec." She pulls out her scroll and snaps a flurry of pictures. "Okay now we can wake them."

Oscar pierced her with a disapproving, judgmental stare. "Really Blake?"

"What? They look so cute together. And it wouldn't hurt to have Ruby owe me one (or five). Honestly, seeing them like this, it's not that surprising."

Oscar walked off muttering something to himself while Blake quickly followed behind. Both silently agreeing to let the two have a few more minutes of blissful slumber before waking them to continue their journey. Probably have Blake distract Yang while Oscar distracts Qrow. Hopefully they'd wake on their own before long.

Back in the tent, the blonde's eyes begin to blink open. Black and red hair fill his blurry vision while a content sigh leaves his mouth. In his half-asleep state he tightened his grip on the woman and kisses the top of her head, elating a pleasant coo from her unconscious lips. His head fell back down as he once more drifted off to slumber, unaware that this pleasant dream was in fact his reality.

The End.


End file.
